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Dog owners - keeping your furry one calm during storm
From The Daily - http://www.thedaily.com/page/2011/08/26/082611-news-thundershirts/
Keep your shirt on, Fido!
Pooches? pre-storm jitters can be calmed with cozy gear
Even the toughest dog breeds can turn to quivering lumps at the sound of thunder.
But
as Hurricane Irene takes aim at the East Coast, dog owners don?t have
to endure incessant barking and the terrified look in their beloved
companion?s eyes when the storm hits. Just throw a sweater on the pooch.
At
least three companies offer snug-fitting shirts for dogs that claim to
reduce anxiety, with names including ?Thundershirt,? ?Storm Defender?
and ?Anxiety Wrap.? The shirts work by calming a dog much like a
swaddling blanket comforts a baby.
Phil Blizzard, the founder of
Thundershirts, started hawking the pet apparel in 2009 after years of
dealing with his Labradoodle?s neuroses.
?I?d learn about
thunderstorms by waking up with a 50-pound dog vibrating on my chest,?
said Blizzard, formerly an engineer for the Ford Motor Co.
The
terror-stopping tops can be used to pacify a dog just before any
potentially alarming situation, such as fireworks or a trip to the vet,
said Marty Becker, a North Dakota veterinarian and a book author who
runs the Web site Vetstreet.com.
Storm shirts started appearing in 2003, but ?only now people are really hearing about it,? he said.
Other
ways to deal with dog anxiety include spritzing specially made
pheromones or herbal remedies in a dog?s carrier or on their collar,
playing piano music and rubbing unscented fabric dryer sheets over the
dog?s body, Becker said. During a storm a dog can feel static
electricity buildup in his coat.
?No pet has to suffer from anxiety, period,? he said.
Victoria Stilwell, a dog trainer with her own show ? ?It?s Me or the Dog? on Animal Planet ? said the anxiety shirts work well.
?It?s almost like a dog being hugged,? she said. ?They feel secure and safer. It?s remarkable.?
At
three ASPCA shelters in Wake County, N.C., workers already have
outfitted two fearful dogs with anxiety sweaters to prepare for
Hurricane Irene, said marketing director Mondy Lamb.
Becker, the North Dakota vet, often resorts to a more time-tested calming agent for his mutt: Xanax.
?With Xanax, it?s ?Kumbaya,?? he said. ?The only side effect is a robust appetite. [My dog will] eat onions, rocks ? anything."
Re: Dog owners - keeping your furry one calm during storm
Too bad Julia dog does not respond well to swaddling (aka: a thundershirt). She's afraid of the noise of thunder and the flashes of lightning.
She should be ok during the hurricane, unless we get sustained t-storms the entire time. I'm more concerned about her "holding it" for too long and getting a bladder infection. This little critter does not like the water--be it bathwater, the ocean, or the kind that falls from the sky.
Aw Erbur - poor Julia! Fiona has yet to show me any fear during a storm, yet she shivers and hides at the sight of a housefly. I'm wondering if she'll react differently to this one. I am too worried about her holding it because she too will refuse to go out during rain or snow. Even if we're in a covered area, she's still freaked out.
Tam - poor Chase! Good luck this weekend with the kiddos!